1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an easy-to-use metered dispensing cap for tubes and other types of containers. In particular, this invention is directed to a cap system which permits metered amounts of material to be repeatedly dispensed as desired. By squeezing the container, the metered cap is filled as it is pushed upward; by being opened at the top and pushed downward, the cap dispenses the material and is repositioned for closing and reloading.
2. Prior Art Statement
Numerous patents describe various types if dispensing caps and the industry is inundated with various designs which are sometimes complicated in operation and/or complex to manufacture. The art goes back decades, and the following patents describe different types of dispensing caps and systems that are exemplary:
Early United States Patents were directed to metering systems involving designs which typically utilize the full length of a cylindrical chamber to create a volume for the dispensing of a liquid or a semiliquid material. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,926,367 and 2,205,082 illustrate these types of early dispensing containers. Dispensing systems involving chambers or traps at the tops of the containers were subsequently developed and these are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,591,455 and 3,089,623.
More recent U.S. Patents describe measuring and dispensing caps which involve squeeze bottles and/or pump mechanisms for dispensing of liquid and semiliquid materials. Thus, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,547; 4,364,492; 4,376,495 and 4,518,105 described various types of dispensing systems using trap chambers with squeezeable bottles and/or pump mechanisms.
Notwithstanding formidable prior art in the metered dispensing fluid, none of the prior art systems describe a simple metered chamber mechanism such as is described in the present invention wherein merely squeezing a bottle with a depressed cap and pumping downward for dispensing results in a simple metered dispensing of a fluid.